Stake support and brace



R. F. ROBINSON.

STAKE SUPPORT AND BRAGE.

APPLlCAHON FILED mc zs, 1918.

Patented Aug. 5; 1919.

i Fig. 2. 5

- Suva whet BJUZobinso'n I a 1 ROBERT F. ROBINSON, 01? DALLAS, TEXAS.

V STAKE SUPPORT D BRACE.

' Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 5, 1919.

Application filed December 28, 1918. Serial No. 268,597.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT F. ROBINSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dallas, in the county of Dallas and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stake Supports and Braces, of which the following is a specification.

This. invention relates to new and useful improvements in stake supports and braces for vehicle bodies.

It is customary to provide sockets and insert the stakes in these sockets, dependence a being placed upon friction or a shoulder for holding the stake in position and usually the 'lower end of the stake is tapered so that it may be more readily wedged in the socket. The parts soon become. worn so that the stakes are not upheld upright or projecttoo far into the sockets and where the stakes are secured to cross pieces to form panels, these latter lean outward. In certain instances braces have been provided but these are either permanently secured to the platform or the sideboards and are not removed with the stakes.

The object of this invention is to provide a stake with a member which will be at once a brace for preventing outward tilting of the stake and a support for sustaining the stake on the platform so that it'wil-l retain its original elevation and not'depend upon a wedging action or a shoulder for holdingit in upright position and at the same time giving a freedom of engagement in its socket which will afford a ready placing and removal. Frequently stakes break at or adjacent the platform and the brace will obviate this difiiculty.

- In carrying out the invention I provide 7 a brace and supporting member formed from a single metal bar bent to shape. The member has a lalterally directed base with an upturned ear at its inner end and an upwardly inclined brace portion extending from its outer end and overhanging the length'of the base. The brace portion ter minates at its upper end in. a strap or tongue portion vertically alined with the ear. The ear and strap are fastened to the side of the stake so that when the stake is inserted in its. socket'in the platform the base will rest on the margin of the platform thus supporting the stake and bracing it against outward tilting as will be apparent. When the stake is removed the brace is carried with it thus leaving the platform unobstructed. I 1

The invention will be morereadily understood from a reading ofthej following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which an example of the invention isillustrated, and wherein- 4 Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a vehicle body formed of stakes and open panels said stakes being equipped with bracing and supporting members con- StI'lCt/Bd in accordance with this invention, an p p Fig. 2 is a sectional detail showingone of the members and its stake in side ele vation. 7

In the drawings the numeral 1 designates an ordinary stake or standard having a U-shaped wear strap 2 secured around its lower portion. On the outer face of the strap is secured a supporting and brace member including a base 3 'having an upturned ear 4. The base 3 is directed outwardly substantially at right angles to the stake and the ear is secured to a stake by a bolt 5. From the outer end of the base a brace 6 is inclined upwardly and inwardly so as to overhang said base.

The brace terminates at its upper end in a tongue or strap 7 vertically alined with the ear 4: and is secured tothe face of the stake by bolts 8 at each end of said strap. It is preferable to form the member of a single piece of metal bent to shape and provided with holes for the bolts 5 and 8, but

it is within the province of the invention 1120 cast or otherwise form said member. It will be observed. that the base 3 has considerable projection from the stake.

The stake is inserted'in a socket or opening 9 in the platform 10 forming part of a vehicle body. The platform has sufficient margin between the socket and its outer edge to form a ledge on which the base 3 rests. It will be seen that the socket may belarge enough to freely receive the lower end of the stake as the base will form a support or stop for holding the stake against outward displacement. One particular advantage is that when the stake is removed the-member is carried with it thus leaving the surface of the platform free and unobstructed. I have shown panels formed with the stakes 1 at each end thereof and intermediatestakes 11 disposed therebetween but from which the members are omitted. Slats 12 are bolted fi n and there would be so much play that said panels'and stakes would soon lean I outward and deteriorat to the stakes as shown; By observing 1 it will be seen that the end panel is POSI- tioned between the side panels so that the slats of the end panel engaging the slats of the side panels lend rigidity .to the body thus formed. ,When the panel is removed the su porting-and bracin members are removed therewith. It is. 'Vious that without the bracing and sup rting members the sockets and stakes wou d wear so that the panels would not be supported at the same What I claim 'is:-' 5 1. The combination with a vehicle platform having' an approximately "vertical socket opening formed therein and arranged s aced a substantial distance from 7 near an the edge 0 the platform to rovideia ledge, of an approximately straig t stake having its lower end adapted for insertion within the socket opening by a d ownward more;

ment of the stake, and a combined abutment and brace carried by the-stake and bodily movable therewith, said combined abutment to hold it against lateral displacement.

ment into a socket opening of a vehicle platform, and acombined abutment and brace carried by the-stake and bodily movablewith relation thereto, said combined abutinentand brace beingspaced a substantial distance from the lower end of the stake and embodying a bar bent into a hollow substantially triangular .form having a base to contact with the platform. Y a

- j In testimony whereof I afiix m signature. --ROBE RT F. BO INSON. 

